US398758A - Press-copying device - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) H A THEM PRESS COPYING DEVICE.

No. 398,758. Patented Peb. 26, 1889.

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PATnNT IlllG() rl`lll.'.\l, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

PRESS-COPYING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part or" Letters Patent No. 398,7 58, dated February 26, 1889.

Application filed October 20,1887. Serial No. 252,900. (No modehl To @ZZ whom may concern:

Be it known that I, IICGO THUN, ofI Grand Rapids, in the county of' lient and State of' Michigan, have invented a new and usei'ul lmln'ovenlent in l.ress-(`opying.l.)eviees; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriluion of' the same.

My invention is a portable copying device, designed to be used fortaking copies of' manu script writing upon thin paper by both the wet and dry processes new used.

The object of my invention is to provide asimple device which requires no press, and which may be used to copy letters without leaving the desk.

A further object is to so construct: it as to make it economical to manufacture and to adapt it for use as well with the dry process l as with the wet process for taking copies of and, further, so that l manuscript writing, copies may be taken within a book or upon loose sheets.

My invention consists,primarily, ot" a base plate provided with. a flexible flap secured I thereto, the copying being done between the iiap and the plate, as hereinafter described.

The invention also consists in the details, hereinafter fully set fort-h, for carrying the invention into ef'fi'ect.

Figure l represents a perspective view of my simple device. 2 is a section of the saine, showing it in readiness `for taking a copy by the dry process. Fig. il is a like section showing it arran ged for takin a copy by the wet process. Fig. 4 represents the device in connection with tray for holding moist sheets. Fig. 5 is a view of a modification for holding the moist sheets between the two parts of the device.

In the drawings, A represents the baseplate ot' my press, which may be made of wood, metal, or glass, of a size and shape convenient for the purpose, and if made of wood it may be shod with metal, so as to prevent warping or twisting from the action of the moisture. I prefer to have a flange extending downwardly at one end,which forms a shoulder for a bearing against the edge of a desk7 which thus permits pressure to be applied, as will be herein after described, away :from the operator, the flange a holding the base-plate rm. At the same end that the tlange is located, upon the upper surface of' the lmse-plate, l ait-ach, in any suitable manner, a flexible sheet, B,whieh may be made ot any material of" a flexible w nature suitable for the purpose.

In the figures i have shown the base-plate as )'rovided with a zinc cover upon its bottoni and edges, and with a zinc strip forming the attachment ot' the flexible sheet to the upper part of' the plate by means ot' screws. This press is complete as thus constructed, and is l capable oi several distinct methods of taking copies from manuscript, which I will now describe: In the dry method ot copying letters, in which the ink used dries slowly, the letter to be copied is laid upon the base-plate with its written side up. Over this is laid a sheet of copying-paper, and over the two sheets is laid the flexible sheet B, and the copy is taken by the operator rubliiing hishands tirmlyover the flexible sheet; or, instead ot his fingers he l may use a smooth piece of wood or cork, to give a more even pressure. In Fig. 2 I have shown the sheets as arranged tor taking the copy by this method.

In the wet method of copying the letter is placed in a like manner upon the base-plate with its written side uppermost, the moistl ened sheet is placed upon the same, a sheet adapted to absorb moisture is placed above the second sheet, and over the whole the flexible cover of the press is placed, and pressure applied thereto by the hands, or by a smooth piece of cork or wood, and the copy taken oft in this manner. The bibulous sheet interposed between the moistened sheet and the tlexiblecover is very desirable, as it prevents any spreading of the ink, and in .absorbing the moisture from the wet sheet creates a current from the manuscript page through the thin copying-paper which gives more perfect copying and aids the ink in penetrating' the pores of the moistened sheets. It 'further aids in drying the sheet very quickly.

It will be understood that the operation is precisely the same whether copies are taken upon separate sheets or upon the pages of a book, as when applied to a book the base-plate is placed upon one side and the manuscript page upon it, and the copy taken,whether by l dry or wet process, by placing the sheet above y the page. and following out the method above i described.

IOO

Then the press is to be used with a wet process of copying, and it is desired to keep loose sheets damp within a tray, as that shown in l, the press may serve as a cover to the tray. In this case I cover the bottom with zinc, as above described, which thus prevents the escape oi' the moisture, and also prevent-s the warping of the board, if wood be used for the baseplate. Vhen it is vnot desired to use a tray such as that shown, a plate may be used either of metal or wood lined with metal, upon which the sheets may be placed and moistened, and after the surplus water has been drained off this plate, with the moistened paper upon its surface, may be placed upon the base-plate of the press and the paper covered by the flexible sheet, which will thus prevent the moisture in the paper from evaporating, and the moistened sheets will thus/be in a position to be readily used. The moistened sheets of course may be wrapped np in a piece of oiled cloth or rubber, which will not only prevent evaporation, but will likewise keep the parts of the press from becoming damp.

I claim as my inventionsgae/,58

l. In combination, the base-plate and a cov'- ering-ap connected thereto, said iap being flexible and arranged to cover the plate, and by reason of said flexibility to lie directly upon all parts of the paper underneath, whereby pressure may be applied to all parts uniformly, substantially as described.

2. A device for copying letters, consisting of a base-plate and a ieXible sheet, said sheet being movable in its relation to the baseplate and adapted to be used in connection therewith, substantially as described.

3. In thedescribed device for copying letters, consisting of a base-plate and flexible sheet connected therewith and covering the upper surface, a flange extending downwardly from one end thereof, all substantially as clescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication in the presence of two subs3ribing Witnesses.

HUGO THUM.

Yitnesses:

FREDERICK LOETTGERT, FERDINAND THEM.

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